Band marches for uniforms, contest trip

Staff photo: Vanessa KahinThe Clovis High School marching band marches Saturday morning to help raise funds for an upcoming band trip and the color guard’s uniform fee.

Staff report

Members of the Clovis High School marching band stepped out in good faith early Saturday morning to accrue some miles for dollars.

During the “March-a-Thon” fundraising event, the Wildcat band marched eight miles around Clovis to help fund a trip to a music contest in Corpus Christi, Texas, set to take place in April.

They also marched to cover the uniform fee for the band’s color guard, which comes with a $165 price tag this year, said Band Director Bill Allred.

“Each year the (color guard) uniform is a costume that is representative of the show theme,” Allred said. “The show theme this year is the Tree of Life.” He described the color guard’s uniforms as having tree-like shapes and colors.

It will cost each band member — all 235 of them — $500 each to be able to travel to Corpus Christi. Allred said this fee covers the bus fare and a hotel stay.

Aside from representing Clovis at the Corpus Christi music competition, CHS band members will get to visit the USS Lexington — a WWII-era aircraft carrier kept in Corpus Christi.

“We try to make our trips fun, but also educational,” Allred said.

There are still ways that the community can donate to the band, and potential donors can either help sponsor a specific student or give a general donation.

Allred said donations not intended for a specific student will be assigned to a student in need.